Top AirPlay Senders and Receivers for Streaming Media on Mac

Elmedia

With AirPlay by Apple one can wirelessly stream video from Mac computers and iOS devices to a TV screen for example. AirPlay is primarily meant for Apple TV, the device that is plugged in a regular TV set and receives the wireless signal. Even though the system is based around Apple products, there are independent software products that allow you to use Windows PC too.

So here you have a top list of independent programs that can act as an AirPlay sender or an AirPlay receiver and should suit every taste.

1. Elmedia Player with AirPlay support

Elmedia Player

Additionally to all impressive features, Elmedia Player can be your best AirPlay sender and AirPlay video and audio receiver. Elmedia offers playback of all common file types, codecs and resolutions. Elmedia is very good at receiving and playing streams from Mac computers, iOS and Android devices. If you need to stream media from your Mac with Elmedia, you can do it to other Mac computers with the same player installed or to any other AirPlay devices.

You can cast your favorite YouTube videos to AirPlay devices. You can also use Elmedia Player as an audio-only receiver. This allows streaming your favorite music to a computer with large speakers connected.

Please be advised that Elmedia currently streams only audio from iOS 9 and newer. Both video and audio can be streamed in iOS 6/7/8.

2. AirServer

Turn your Mac into a mirroring receiver with AirServer using the built-in AirPlay or Google Cast. This app supports AirPlay for YouTube on iOS. You can mirror or cast your screen from one of the devices compatible with these services: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android or Chromebook. If your device doesn't have the cast functionality, simply download Google Cast from Google Play.

For iOS devices you can either stream videos from AirPlay compatible software or mirror the whole screen of an iOS device.

3. AirParrot 2

This app is a streaming platform based on mirroring. Thanks to AirParrot one can transmit media or screen wirelessly to various AirPlay receivers. Share your media with the classroom, boardroom or else without any wires or adapters. Transmit a movie to enjoy the big screen.

When installed, the app will search for and display the receivers available on the network and will let you share the screen, music, videos, etc. AirParrot lets you stream to Apple TV, Chromecast, and other devices. You can also share sound through AirPlay-enabled speakers.

4. Airfoil

Airfoil lets you send any sound to Apple TV, iOS device or other Mac and Windows computer! With Airfoil you can reproduce audio around your space, all in sync. And thanks to Airfoil Speakers, you can make any computer a remote audio output. Once you shared your music to speakers with Airfoil you can listen to it all over the house thanks to AirPlay or Bluetooth. Transmit any sound from any Windows computer at any location. This includes music from the web audio sharing platforms. Airfoil Satellite will make your Mac an audio receiver.

5. Beamer

Use Beamer Use Beamer to enjoy the wireless streaming of music and videos from your Mac to Chromecast or Apple TV. This app works great as a channel of communication between two device. It supports all popular formats, subtitle files, lets you create and manage playlists. It also works with Apple TV with AirPlay, is pre-enabled for Google Cast, and works with remote controlling system.

This software is easily configurable letting you adjust the settings up to yourunique needs.

6. VLC

Just like Elmedia, VLC is a free media player compatible with Mac and Windows machines. Install VLC player to use AirVLC that lets you stream videos and audio files in AirPlay, this way you get perfectly synced media and don't have to look for a sub-par video player. AirVLC supports online formats as well as popular .avi, .mp4, .mkv. To stream an online video just drag the link to it onto AirVLC and that's it!

Unfortunately the official page of AirVLC notes that it has been discontinued.

7. Kodi

Kodi (Xbox Media Center or XBMC for short in the past) is an open-source media software and one of the best free AirPlay senders that you can find. It is friendly with all popular OS including Linux, Mac OS, Windows, iOS as well as Android.

Starting from version 11, Kodi supports AirPlay, so any device and platform compatible with XBMC can get streams from iOS or iTunes. As a free AirPlay audio sender Kodi streams music from Apple TV 2 to AirPlay speakers. With the current version 14.1 it gets regular updates, so functioning as an AirPlay sender it’s going to cover more devices. By this, it will become more stable in the future.

8. 5Kplayer

5Kplayer completes the list of AirPlay senders and receivers available today on the web market. It’s one of the free AirPlay video senders that easily reads HD media. Developed by DearMob and launched in 2015 5KPlayer gained its popularity and users’ recognition thanks to the good work as well as tried-and-true features.

It can function as AirPlay sender and receiver on Windows and macOS, which means you can send your media from iPhone to Mac, PC or Apple TV by using 5KPlayer. The app supports AirPlaying such video formats as AVI, MKV, and FLV from and to any devices equipped with 5KPlayer and supporting AirPlay technology. With this player you can stream your favorite movies, TV shows, music clips, sports programs and other videos from your iPhone, iPad or iPod to Mac/PC and from Android to Apple TV.

This was the top list of AirPlay video senders and AirPlay audio senders as well as AirPlay audio receivers and AirPlay video receivers that we liked. Enjoy using the apps and let us know if you think we missed a worthy piece of software.